Shaft and pole coupling for wagons.



R. GRUNBR.

SHAFT AND POLE COUPLING FOR WAGONS. APPLICATION FILED AUG.14, 1905.

PATENTED JAN. 23, 1906.

, bar supported from the front axle and raised bar 21. The hounds 3 4are bent intermedi- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SHAFT AND POLE COUPLING FOR WAGONS.

No. 810,641. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 23, 1906.

Application filed, August 14, 1905. Serial No. 274,053.

T aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT GRUNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State ofKentucky, have invented a new and useful Shaft and Pole Coupling forWagons, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to draft-gear for wagons and carriages; and theobjects of my improvement are to provide a permanent draftabove it, soas to avoid the usual downwardcurved portion of the shaft to reduce theweight on the horse; to prevent the usual strain on the front axle andthe king-bolt to provide means for attaching a shaft, a pole, andswingletrees, firmness, strength, and durability. These objects I attainby means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, whichis a perspective view. I

The fore hounds 3 4, the transverse draftbar 21, the supporting-hook 8,the truss-rod 7, and the brace 24 constitute the principal features ofthe invention. Draft-rod 21 is supported on the front ends of hounds 34, a short distance above said hounds, by means of pillars 5 6, and thehounds and draft-rod are securely fastened in permanent relation bymeans of vertical bolts, which pass through a plate on the upper surfaceof the draft-rod and the plate 25 in the middle of truss-rod 7. Theiendsof truss-rod 7 are secured to draft-rod 21 near the shaft-clips 15, 16by means of a plate underneath the draft-bar and clips 26, 27 passingabout the draft-bar. At either end of the draft-bar 21 is secured theshaft-clips and 16. The ends of the draft-bar 21 are joined to the endsof the axle 1 by means of curved braces 17 and 19. Intermediatebrac'es18 and 20 may be used for additional security. A step 22 may be placedat each end of draftate their ends, so that the front ends are higherthan the rear ends. The rear ends are fastened underneath thefifth-wheel 2 and firmly secured thereto. A spring-stay 9 is secured atits rear end to the perch 10 and extends over the spring and down to thefifthwheel, having a vertical extension downward in front of thefifth-wheel. The upper plate of the fifth-wheel has a rear extensionfrom the central front part pierced with a hole to accommodate a bolt13. By means of bolt 13 a plate or hook 8 is firmly secured to stay andbear underneath the lower plate of fifthwheel 2. By this means the frontpart of the fifth-wheel is connected with the perch and thoroughlybraced to prevent its sagging from the weight of the draft-bar 21, theshaft, and the accessory gear. The ends of draftbar 21 are bracedagainst vertical motion relative to its middle portion by truss-rod 7and against forward movement relative to hounds 3 4, by means of brace24, which is at the rear,

to said hounds and at its front end to the top of the draft-bar. By thismeans all parts are thoroughly braced and firmly secured in their properoperative relation. A space is provided between the front ends of hounds3 4 to accommodate the pole, shown by dotted lines, which when in placerests upon the plate 25 in the middle of truss-rod 7, which is securedto the under surface of the fore hounds, 3, 4 and its end under the reartransverse plate 28 of brace 24. Through said rear plate 28 of brace 24is a hole to receive a bolt or pin for securing the pole in placeagainstlongitudinal movement. When the pole is used, swingletrees(represented by dotted lines) are provided, which are adapted to fastenin shaftclips 15 16, it therefore being unnecessary to providedoubletrees for the pole. It is obvious that with this arrangement theshaft is considerably shortened at the rear end; the weight is less uponthe horse; the shaft may be turned upward to a vertical position or leanbackward Without interfering with the foot-board 23, the wagon-bed, orany other portion of the wagon, and may therefore be set up out of theway when the wagon is not in use; the pole may be easily removed fromits socket, so that the wagon may be placed in a small space; the drivermay mount the wagon by means of steps 22; his weight does not endangerthe front axle or king-bolt by reason of the torsional stress thusproduced, and the entire gear may be depended upon for strength anddurability.

I am aware that a transverse bar similar to my draft-bar 21 has beenused and do not claim this feature broadly; but,

Having thus described my invention, so that any one skilled in the artpertaining thereto may make it, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In draftgear for wagons, the combination of the front axle, forehounds curved upward, a transverse draft-bar secured above 9 underneathand is made to extend forward the front ends of said fore hounds,pillars be tween said fore hounds and said draft-bar, a truss-rodconnecting said fore hounds with the outer ends of said draft-bar,braces connecting the outer ends of said draft-bar with the front axle,a brace connecting said draftbar with said fore hounds, a spring-staysecured at its rear end to the perch of the wagon and at its forward endto the front part of the fifth-wheel, and a supportinghook secured tothe forward end of said spring-stay and extending under and bearing onthe under surface of the lower portion of the fifth-wheel, substantiallyas specified.

2. In a draft-gear for wagons, the co1nbination of a front axle, forehounds secured to said front axle and to the fifth-wheel, a transversedraft-bar, means for securing said draftbar to said fore hounds inelevated relation thereto, means for supporting the outer ends of saiddraft-bar relative to said fore hounds, means for rigidly connecting theouter ends of said draft-bar with said front axle, and means for bracingthe forward part of the fifth-wheel, said fore hounds and said draftbarfrom the perch and preventing torsional strain on the axle,substantially as specified.

ROBERT GRUNER. Witnesses:

J. A. lVIARTIN-COOKE, STELLA O. NORRIS.

